Netflix's Resident Evil series released on the 14th and rocketed into second position on Netflix's series chart with an impressive 72 .7 million hours viewed in its first week.

It presently has a critic 51% (average 5.9 / 10) and viewer 26% (average 1.8 / 10) score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 3.7 / 10 rating on IMDb.com.

Out in the world of entertainment news it's generating titles like this:

‘Resident Evil’ one of Netflix’s worst rated shows ever

We had time to watch it this week.

As we've said previously we haven't played any Resident Evil games and enjoyed the early Milla Jovavich films despite some being of questionable quality.

Our view isn't at all coloured by any departures from the games.

Like Paramount's Halo, Resident Evil is very uneven.

We'd give it 6 - 6.5 and in Netflix's shoes would cancel it without hesitation.

Netflix is trying to build a brand for quality entertainment. This doesn't qualify or add value to their service.

Though with the hours it racked up, there's clearly interest in the Resident Evil property and it's a popular one which Netflix doubtless wants to keep.

Our take?

Like Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City and before it Justice League (Snyder's) and Wonder Woman 1984 it's a misguided attempt to return to earlier storytelling forms.

In Resident Evil it was most noticeable in the character of Evelyn Marcus played by Paola Nunez.

So much of her character and dialog feels plucked from male high level executive characters of the previous century.

Especially in scenes with her wife and son.

It's tragic, though as we remarked in relation to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and its heavily recycled dialog, younger audiences would be oblivious to this flaw.

Also like Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City performances vary markedly.

One legitimate positive in watching both titles is coming to a healthier appreciation of the value of serious acting skill.

Encumbered by poor to mediocre writing, Robbie Arnell and Lance Reddick really stand and out elevate their scenes.

Not to the point of being able to save those scenes or the film and series, but you can see individual actors wringing precious moments of real entertainment out of otherwise sorry affairs.

Resident Evil (the series) is streaming now on Netflix.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (the film) is streaming now on Prime Video.

[ Main Image: Resident Evil - Lance Reddick. Credit: Netflix via IMDb.com. ]

References

IMDb.com. Resident Evil. (viewed July 21, 2022)

Netflix. Netflix Top 10 TV (English) July 11 - July 17, 2022.

Rotten Tomatoes. Resident Evil: Season 01. (viewed July 21, 2022)

Warner, Sam (July 18, 2022). ‘Resident Evil’ one of Netflix’s worst rated shows ever. NME.